The Contract

Part 1: The Payphone

I don’t know what happened, but Alan went back to being an unbearable asshole after that brief moment of reprieve.

“I know you’re tiny, but can we pick up the pace a little bit please? I don’t plan to wait for you to catch up.” I flipped him off behind his back, aggravation running through my veins as I shivered in the now dimly lit night.

“Of course, your highness.” I mumbled as I stumbled my way through the now dense and dark forest. “I thought you knew where we were? Wasn’t Eatonville right around here or something?” I asked, exhaustion seeping into my tone.

“Ten minutes ago I said it was about two miles away. We are probably a quarter of the way there with how slow you’re going.” I stopped abruptly and glared at him until he turned to look at me.

“I didn’t ask for this situation any more than you did, and honestly, you being an ass to me is helping neither one of us. Could you calm down until we get to Eatonville and then go back to being a d**k then?” I asked, although it was more rhetorical than he took it.

“You are the one who didn’t read the damn contract, now we’re stuck out here.” I threw my hands up in frustration.

“If it’s such a big deal, why don’t you just tell me what’s on the damn thing?” I asked shrilly, my irritation exploding. His face was a mask, nothing being revealed.

“That’s not the point. There isn’t anything you can do now that you have signed, knowing what’s on it will just make everything more difficult.” He didn’t make eye contact as he said it, but I felt as though he wasn’t telling the whole truth. I pursed my lips and crossed my arms over my chest as I stared at him. He looked up and I started at the glassy look in his eyes.

“Whether or not that’s the point, I should probably know what I need to be doing.” I took a few steps forward and as I did, his expression turned sour.

“You’ll know soon enough. Now we need to keep moving, we wouldn’t want whoever is waiting for you to get too worried.” He whirled around and began moving through the underbrush at an even faster pace than before. Tears welled up in my eyes but I blinked them back furiously, not wanting to give the stupid asshat any satisfaction. I sniffed a few times and prayed that he thought it was just from the chill in the night air. The snapping of branches beneath our feet and the sounds of nearby animals were the only things that gave way to the passage of time.

After what seemed like an eternity of tripping on the underbrush and falling on my ass, I began to see a light in front of us. The trees were growing thinner, and soon, we stumbled into what must have been Eatonville, Washington. I took a breath, panting slightly and watching the breath condense in the air. Some beige siding obscured the rest of my vision, and I breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of houses. Finally, back to civilization.

“Is there a main road where I can find a payphone?” I asked, slowing slightly as I looked towards the houses and tried to get my bearings.

“Just a few blocks from here.” Alan muttered, his anger seeming to have simmered to an intense irritation.

“Alright.” I said quietly, not wanting to piss him off any more. I chewed on my bottom lip as I thought about asking another question.

“Spit it out.” He said, not even turning to look at me as he started walking through the two houses we were standing between and towards the road.

“I guess I just wanted to thank you. I know you’re angry about the situation we are in, so thanks for sticking with me and helping me find my way back.” I watched his back stiffen as I spoke, his head held low across the tense muscles of his shoulders.

“Don’t thank me yet.” He said, but before I could ask what he meant, he quickened his stride and left me jogging to catch up. I figured he didn’t want me to ask.

Perhaps another ten minutes went by before we turned down Main Street and found a payphone. He waited outside while I made my calls, one to Karah with an apology for worrying her and a promise to be home soon, and another to a cab company. While on the phone with the cab driver, I stuck my head outside of the box.

“Alan, do you need a ride anywhere? I live in Ashford, so if you’re on the way we can share a cab.” As soon as I said his name, Alan’s head snapped up and he made scorching eye contact with me. He nodded slowly, his face still impassive.

“I live in Ashford, too.” I raised one eyebrow at that but didn’t respond to him, instead telling the cab driver where to pick us up and that we both needed to be dropped off at the same place. I set the phone back on its cradle before stepping out of the booth.

“Where in Ashford do you live?” I asked, trying to keep the fragile peace alive.

“The northeast side, only a few minutes from the restaurant.” I nodded, remembering driving through the town and into the woods just outside of it.

“I’m across town, maybe a 15 minute drive.” I said. “The driver can drop us at my house and then I can give you a ride home if you want.” I said, thinking about how much the ride was going to cost me and suddenly worrying about money. Even with the amazing pay for the job I had just gotten, Karah’s surgeries ate up my income so quickly it made my head spin. I forgot that I had asked Alan a question, and turned back to him, staring at me incredulously.

“I’ve been nothing but an asshole to you since Luc left us in that forest and you’re offering me a ride home?” The tone of his voice along with the absolutely astounded look on his face made me laugh.

“Yeah, I guess the forest air got to my head,” I said. “The offer is serious though. This cab ride is going to be expensive, so if you want to skip out on the extra fare I’m willing to take you the rest of the way.” I shrugged as I looked at him again, and the astounded expression had almost left his face.

“Thanks, Sasha, I really appreciate it.” He smiled at me slightly as he said it, and it almost distracted me from the fact that I hadn’t told him my name. I thought for a moment that perhaps Luc or one of the workers at the restaurant told him, but my gut was telling me that it wasn’t just a coincidence. My brows furrowed as I was once again taken by the feeling I had met this man before. He met my gaze with a raised eyebrow, the fire in his eyes blazing. "Don't tell me you're rethinking your offer?" His face hardened slightly, as though he could feel the direction of my thoughts and was putting up a blockade to keep me from understanding him. I decided not to mention it at all, and my face relaxed as I shook my head.

"No, it's not that." I turned to look for the taxi as I sat on the curb. I heard a snort and when I looked up, Alan had his arms crossed tightly across his chest, mouth drawn into a grim line as he looked the opposite direction down the road.

"Ah, yes, your late-night friend will probably be irritated further by having to wait for you to give me a ride." He audibly scoffed. "This whole situation is ridiculous, if Luc had just-" I stood up and turned to him, livid.

"I don't know why you have such a problem with me having someone waiting for me at home, but-" He cut me off, not giving me any opportunity to set the record straight.

"If you had read the damn contract, you would know why I'm pissed." His eyes were almost glowing, they were such an electric shade of blue, and for a second I thought I was losing my mind as I felt drawn to get closer to him. His words then permeated my brain and it was my turn to scoff.

"What the hell does a contract have to do with my living situation?" My eyes were narrowed, my arms crossed across my chest, and for a moment Alan looked contrite. It passed as quickly as it came, and he sat on the curb I had just vacated. He didn't respond, and I threw my hands into the air. "Are we 12? You're just going to ignore my question but continue to get angry with me when I don't even know what I did wrong?" He stayed silent, looking down the road, so I sat a little way from him and watched from the other direction. The silent treatment? Two could play that game, and I was guessing that Alan didn't have a teenager at home. This was a battle of wills I would win.